Sewing-awl.



No. 885,913. y

GQA. GONNAN SEWING AWL. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4'. ,1906.

PATBNTED APR. 28. 1 90'8.

UNITED sTATEs.x

PATENT oEEioE.

CHARLES A. CONNAN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ABRAM A.

GREENWOOD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SEWING-AWL.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAELEs A. OONNAN,

- a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in `Sewing-Awls, of which the following is a specification.

An object of this invention is to facilitate the work of sewing leather, canvas, and other go ds and materials, by means of a hand aw The invention comprises a hand-sewing awl provided with automatic stitch-forming mechanism.

The invention may be variously a plied, and preferably includes automatic feding mechanism or means for advancing the material to be sewed, such means being operated from the'shank of the awl.

The invention may be variously a plied, and preferably includes automatic eeding mechanism or means for advancing the material to be sewed, such means being operated from the shank of the awl.

The invention consists in the device and in various parts and combinations set forth in the subjoined detailed description from which the objects and advantages attained by this invention maymore fully appear.

The invention is not limited to the specific.

construction set forth, and I reserve the right to apply the same in various forms.

This inventionis to be distinguished from pocket sewing machines and the like in that it consists in an awl provided asvusual in the case of awls with a large bulbous handle adapted to fit the hand and by which the stitch forming mechanism or means including a machine needle which serves as an awl point is carried, the awl terminating at one end in such handle, and at the other end in stitch forming mechanism and thus being adapted to be used manually in the manner common with awls and at the same time operating to form the stitches in the material to be sewed. y

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention 1n the form I at present deem most desirable Figure 1 is a side elevation` of my newlyinvented awl, a portion of an adjunct in the form of a bracket being also shown. Fig. 2

is a view from the top of Fig. 1, omittin the bracket, and also the spool and its ho der. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the sewing awl, on line :c3-m3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the newly-invented sewing awl from the left of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a view from the right of Figs. 1 and 2, the shank of the awl being sectioned on line x5-5, of said figures. The 'said bracket is also shown in this view. Fig. 6 is a view of the looper lever. Fig. 7 is a view of the loop-spreading lever. Fig. 8 is a view of the feeding lever. v 1 designates the handle; 2, the shank; 3, the machine-needle of the awl, the same being fastened by a projecting screw 4.

'5 is a thread eyelet on the handle of the awl; 6, a frame provided with a bearing 7 whereby it is slidably mounted on the shank 2 and also provided with a spool-standard 8 and stitching plate 9.

1() is a pivot stud screwed into the frame. l1 is a slotted looper lever; 12 a slotted loopspreading lever, and 13 a slotted feeding lever, all pivoted on the stud screw 10.

14 is an actuating stud screwed into the shank 2`and extending through the slots 15, 16, and 17, of the looper lever, spreading lever and feeding lever, respectively.

18 is a pressure spring engaging the feeding lever 13 for the purpose of pressing it toward the stitching plate 9, and also serving `the purpose, in conjunction with the pressure-releasing lever 1-9, of moving the feeding lever forward in position to take another stitch. The pressure-releasing lever 19 is provided. with an arm 2O with which the needle-holding screw 4 engages on the instroke of the awl, thus actuating said lever which is provided with an arm 21 to engage a lug 22 on the feeding lever 13 to retract said leyer 13 against the pressure of the spring 18.

By reference to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it will be noted that levers 6 and 7 are provided with pivot holes 23 and 24, respectively,'for the reception of pivot stud 10, and that feeding lever 13 is-provided with a slot 17 having a cam projection 25 to be engaged by the stud 14 for operating the feed lever against the force of spring 18 at each reciprocation of the shank. i

The pivotal connection between the feed lever 13 and the stud 10 is by means of the upper end of the slot 17 order that the feeding lever may reciprocate and swing. The spring 18 is preferably hook-shaped, having a main body or leaf 26 fastened to the frame by a screw 27, the point 28 of the spring engaging in a notch 29 in the feeding ever 13.

By this means the spring 18 operates to force the feeding lever 13 toward the plate 9, and also gives a yielding fulcrum to assist in swinging the feeding lever when the stud 14 engages the cam 25.

The slots 15 and 16 of the levers 11 and 12 are reversely arranged, as clearly appears in Figs. 2 and 6, so that the reciprocation of the stud 14 operates the levers 11 and 12 in directions opposite to each other. The looper and loop-spreading levers 11, 12, extend through a slot 30 in the stitching-plate 9, which plate is also rovided with needle hole 31 across which the ooper 32 and the spreader v33 move to loop the stitch in the usual manner as the needle is reciprocated through the needle hole 31.

The pressure-releasing lever 19 may be provided with a thumb-piece 34 by which it can be forcibly manipulated to raise the feeding lever independently of the operation of the shank 2. Said lever 19 may be provided with eyelets 35 through which the thread 36 is led so that said lever 19 serves as an intermediate take-up, the thread 36 being led vthrough the thread eyelet 5 on the awl and thread-guide 37 on the frame.

38 is a spool, and 39 the usual tension device therefor. 40 isv a bracket, and 41 a screw-threaded pivot by which the frame 6 may be detachably pivotally mounted on said bracket. 42 designates set screws for locking the frame in fixed position on the bracket 40.

-In practical operation, the material to be sewed will be inserted under the feeding lever 13 against the plate 9 and the awl being threaded, the operator will reciprocate the same, whereupon the studs 4 and 14 will operate the engaging levers whereby the stitching will be accomplished automatically. The automatic action is practically the same 'as usual with sewing machines having like stitching mechanism. That is to say, the awl inserts through the goods not shown, and the stitching plate and carries the thread through, thus forming a loop on the side of the stitching plate, to which the point of the awl has been thrust. Then the looper 32 enters the loop of the thread between the awl eye and the stitching plate, the spreader enters 'the loop, the awl withdraws leaving the loops on the looper, the spreader holds the loop while the looper withdraws the feeding lever advances the goods, not shown, the awl again inserts through the go'ods and stitching plate and through the open space of the spreader, the looper takes the new loop, the

spreader withdraws, the awl withdraws pulling tight the 'previous loop, the spreader enters the loop just formed, the looper withdraws, the goods are again advanced, and so on.

The operation of the feed lever 13 is as follows Shank 2 moves forward through bearing 7 bringingscrew 4 into engagement with arm 20. Farther movement of shank 2 tilts lever 19 causing arm 21 carried thereby to retract feeder 13 through engagement of said arm 21 with lug 22 of the feeding lever.

Owing to the lateral location of notch 29 into which the end of spring 1S seats, the re tracting and extending forces oppose each other in line with the length of feeder 13, therefore no swinging movement takes place until pin 14 passes over projection 25, causing a short quick pivotal reciprocation of the feeder, which is repeated when the arm 21 retreats allowing the feeder to be extended by pressure of spring 1S.

43 is a stitch regulating screw screwed through the frame 6 into the path of the feeding lever 13. By screwing the screw in, the stroke of the feeding lever is shortened, thus shortening the stitch. To lengthen the stitch, the screw will be screwed out.

44 is the pivot of the pressure-releasing lever 19.

By reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the frame 6 is substantially in the form of a T having a main body 45 at one end of which the spool-standard S and stitching-plate 9 project to form the arms of the T and that the standard 8 is provided with spool-holding means in the form of a spindle 46 on which the tension means 39 and the spool 38 are mounted, the bearing 7 in which the shank 2 works being on the same side of the body 45 as the stitching-plate 9, and the levers 11, 12, and 13, being pivoted on the body between the same and the spool, and being bent at their ends, the levers 11 and 12 extending through the slot 30 in the stitching-plate, and projecting in front of the needle hole 31.

By the construction just referred to a very compact, automatic, hand-sewing device is produced.

47 is the washer for the stud 10.

The device is adapted to be transforn'ied into a stationary sewing-machine, by means of the detachable bracket 40 shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and by screws not shown, inserted through the screw-holes 4S to fasten such bracket to a 'fixed support not shown. Such use, however, is not the ordinary use for which the device is designed, and the bracket 40 is therefore usually omitted,so that the device will ordinarily appear as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4; Figs. 1 and 5 being simply illustrative of an extended use to which the invention is adapted.

For use in sewing carpets and other heavy fabrics, the sewing awl is used without the bracket 40 and in such case the edges of the carpet or fabric to be sewed together will be held stretched by some suitable means, well understood in the art, and the operator will handle the awl by both hands. The operation in such case is as follows The operator will grasp the handle 1 in his left hand and pressure lever 19 to release the feeder lever 13, which will be operated by the spring 18 to clamp the edges of the fabric between the feeding lever 13 and stitching plate 9. Then the operator will grasp the frame 6 with his right hand and will'then operate the handle 1 toward and from the frame, moving the.

appliance along the edge of the fabric as the same is fed across the stitching plate 9 by the feeding lever 13. The operation in this instance is practically the same as when the bracket is 1n use, excepting that when the frame is supported by the bracket, the fabric is moved along the appliance and when the bracket is not in use the appliance is moved along the` fabric. What I claim is 1. An awl comprising a handle 1, a shank 2 and a machine needle 3 fastened by a projecting screw 4, said awl being also provided with a thread eyelet 5; a frame 6 provided with a bearing 7 inwhich the shank 2 works, and also provided with a spool-standard 8 and a stitching-plate 9`; a pivot stud 10 screwed into the frame 7; a slotted looper lever 11 having a looper 32, a slotted loopspreading lever 12 having a loop spreader 33, and a slotted feeding lever 13, all pivoted on the stud screw 10 an actuating stud 14 screwed into the shank 2 and extending through the slots 15, 16, and 17 of the looper lever, loop-spreading lever and feeding lever respectively; a pressure spring 18 engaging the feeding lever 13, a pressure-releasing lever 19 provided with an arm 2() to be engaged by a needle-holding screw 4,'

said lever being provided with anarm 21; said feeding lever 13 being provided with a lug 22 to be engaged with said arm 21 to retract the feeding lever against the pressure of f the spring 18, said feeding lever 13 being also provided with a cam projection 25 to be engaged by the stud 14, for operating the feeding lever against the force of spring 18.

2. A sewing awl provided with a needle and a frame, a pivot carried by said frame, a slotted looper lever, a slotted loop-spreading lever and a slotted feeding lever superimposed upon each other and all mounted on said pivot to turn thereon, and a shank working in the frame and provided with a stud extending through the slots of said levers.

3. A sewing awl provided with a frame and needle, a slotted loo er lever, a slotted loop-spreading lever an a slotted feeding lever pivoted to the frame, a pressure-releasing lever pivoted to the frame and arranged to operate the feeding lever, a spring for the feeding lever, and a shank provided with a stud for operating saidV slotted levers and provided with another stud to operate the pressure-releasing lever.

4. An awl comprising a handle, a shank and a machine needle, said awl being also provided with thread-guiding means, a frame having a bearing in which the shank works,

and also having a spool-standard and a stitching late; a pivot stud on the frame; a slotted ooper lever, a slotted loop-spreading lever, and a slotted feeding lever, all pivoted on the pivot stud an actuating stud on the shank and extending through the slots on the looper lever, loop-spreading lever and feeding lever respectively, a pressure spring engaging the feeding lever, a pressure releasing lever to retract the feeding lever against the pressure of the spring, said feeding lever being provided with a cam projection to be engaged by the stud for operating the feeding lever against the force of the spring.

5. The combination with an awl having stitch-forming .mechanism, of the feeding lever 13 having slot 17, cam projection 25, lug 22, and notch 29; stud 14; pressure-releasing lever provided with arm 21, and spring 18 fixed at one end and engaging said notch at the other end.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California this 28th day of December 1905.

CHARLES A. CONNAN. 

